Cutting blade for ditching and cable laying machines



Aug. 25, 1953 B. RYAN CUTTING BLADE FOR DITCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 25, 19 53 F. B. RYAN CUTTING BLADE FOR DITCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1947 fir 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 25, 1953 E. BbRYAN 2,649,747

CUTTING BLADE FOR DITCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 1, 1947 Fad-3. '7

Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUTTING BLADE FOR DITCHING AND CABLE LAYING MACHINES Francis B. Ryan, Charlton, Iowa Application December 1, 1947, Serial No. 789,017

2 Claims.

"Thisinvention pertains to an improved ditching and cable laying machine embodying a blade of improved form and shape which greatly simplifies and expedites the ditching and cable laying operations.

It is one object of this invention to provide such an improved machine which will operate faster and penetrate more easily than conventional ditchers.

- It is another object of this invention. to provide an improved blade and blade adjusting means for such a machine which will expedite the ditching and cable laying operation.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cutter point or runner for the blade which will prevent the blade from leaving or pulling up in the cut.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent as this specification proceeds.

.Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the inventive idea showing the cutter blade in operative position under the surface of the ground;

Fig. 2 is a top elevation of one embodiment of the inventive idea;

Fig. 3' is an end elevation of the machine taken from the rear showing the cutter blade in position under the surface of the ground; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view, partially in section, of

the cutter blade per se.

In the drawings, Fig. l, I indicates the main frame beams for the body of the machine which are preferably formed of channel steel and are joined by end beams 2 which are appropriately Welded or bolted between beams l at their forward and rear extremities; Extending outwardly and downwardly from main beams l are wheel brackets 3 which are appropriately welded or bolted thereto and carry at their lower extremities axles 4 upon which are rotatably mounted wheels 5 by means of angle iron 9 and bracket which is secured at the center of the beam. A cable drum support I2 is mounted adjacent the forward extremity of the main frame and comprises two angularly disposed support members affixed to each main beam and carries axle l4 upon which cable drum I is revolvably mounted.

Cutter blade beams are shown pivotally mounted below the mainframe at their forward ends by pivot bracket 2| which is appropriately set into the rear of trailer hitch connection I. Beams 20 are supported at their rearward ends by jack screw shafts 22 which are pivotally attached to beams 20 by means of lateral block23 and bolts 24. As shown, jack screw shafts 22 are slidably mounted on main frame I by means of angular supports 25 which are affixed adjacent the rearward extremity of main frame I and extend upwardly therefrom. Angular supports 25 are appropriately cross braced and carry bored blocks 26 pivotally mounted between their upper extremi-' ties as by shaft 29. Jack screw shafts 22 are slidably passed through bored blocks 26. Shafts 22 are preferably screw threaded at their upper extremities to engage internally screw threaded sleeves 21 which bear upon blocks 26. Affixed at the upper extremities of sleeves 2'! are adjusting wheels 28 which may be rotated to raise or lower shafts 22.

Cutter blade 30, which is preferably formed of plough steel, is shown angularly disposed between cutter blade beams 20 adjacent their rear ends and is bolted or otherwise immovably secured therebetween at an angle of approximately 120. stepped tooth configuration at its leading edge, each step 3| being of appropriate depth and edged at its forward extremity. Cutter blade 30 carries a cylindrical runner 33 at its lower extremity. Runner 33 is preferably formed of plough steel and, as shown, its length exceeds the width of cutter blade 30. Runner 33 is provided with a point 34 at its forward extremity, extendingahead of the edge of the lowest step 3! of the blade, and is appropriately bored at its rearward extremity at 35 to allow passage of a cable 35'. 'Runner 33 exceeds the tickness of blade 30 in diameter and acts to hold blade 30 firmly in the ground at the desired depth, providing a keel or sliding anchor therefor.

Cable guide tube 36 is'mounted on the trailing edge of cutter blade 30 and is preferably in the Cutter blade 30 is preferably formed in 3 bored extremity of runner 33. Rollers 44 are provided at the upper extremity of blade 30 to guide the cable from drum IE to roller 31.

An adjustment bracket 43 is ailixed at the forward extremity of cutter blade beams and comprises a head provided with a series of vertically disposed holes 4| which register with a removable pin 42 carried by slotted arm 2| to permit the maintaining of runner 33 in a horizontal position in the ground regardless of the setting of cutter blade beams 20 with respect to the surface of the ground. If cutter blade is in extreme lowered position for a deep cut it is necessary to move pin 42 into the uppermost hole ll of bracket 6-5 in order to maintain runner 33 in a horizontal position. If cutter blade 30 is in elevated position for a relatively shallow cut it is necessary to move pin 42 to the lowest hole 4| of bracket 40 to maintain the runner level.

The depth of cut made by cutter blade 30 is regulated by raising or lowering cutter blade beams 20 by means of adjusting hand wheels 28 and pivoted jack screw shafts 22. For a relatively shallow cut the beams 20 are elevated so that cutter blade 30 penetrates to the desired depth. For a relatively deep cut the beams 20 are lowered until cutter blade 30 has penetrated to the desired depth.

As has been previously indicated, main frame I of the machine may be supported either on wheels 5 or upon a tractor track 5 passing over paired wheels or rollers 5, depending upon the type of terrain being operated over and the trac' tion problem involved.

The machine operates as follows:

A tractor or other means of pulling the machine is attached at trailer hitch l to provide power. Elevating hand wheels 28 are turned to adjust cutter blade 30 and runner 33 to the desired depth of cut and any appropriate necessary adjustment in the position of cutter blade beams 20 is made at bracket 4|] to place runner 33 in a horizontal position in the ground. If it is desired to lay cable in the cut made by cutter blade 30, cable is pulled oil of drum 15, passed over roller 31 down through cable tube 36, under roller 38 and out at the rearward extremity of runner 33. With all necessary adjustments made the tractor is moved ahead on the desired path and the cut is begun, runner 33 holding blade 30 in the ground at the desired depth. The saw-tooth configuration of the entering edge of cutter blade 30 and the steadying anchoring action of runner 33 maintain the cutter blade in the desired position in the ground throughout the cut. Runner 33 holds the cutter blade down and overcomes any tendency it might have to pull up out of the out.

If it is desired merely to ditch land for irrigation purposes the cable drum is not used and the ditch is out where and as desired. It has been determined in tests that ditches made by this machine will stay open at the bottom indefinitely due to the configuration of the cutter blade and the packing and pressing action at the bottom of the cut by runner 33.

The advantages of the present construction over conventional straight bladed ditching and cable laying machines are numerous. By making the cutting blad of the stepped configuration, each edge being preferably 8 to 9 inches, penetration is accomplished more by a shearing than by a straight cutting action. This configuration of the entering edge of the cutting blade also permits a much easier and more gradual penetration of the surface being cut and eliminate power losses. The provision of cylindrical pointed runner 33 at the lower extremity of blade 30 maintains the blade steady at the desired depth and prevents it from riding up.

By reason of the novel frame structure the depth of penetration of the blade may be readily adjusted to maintain penetration at thedesired depth. The blade has been tested on gravel streets and brick roads and penetration was rapid and comparatively effortless. In one operation, for example, 1100 feet of l" pipe were laid in 15 minutes at an average cost of about one and a half mills per lineal foot. Such a cut with the conventional ditching machine would have cost many times this amount.

By virtue of the angularity of the trailing edge of the cutter blade, cable may be laid without strain and without damage to cable or cable covering,

Pipe may be laid in the cut by attaching it to the rear extremity of the runner 33 and pulling it into the cut as the blade moves forward.

The dimensions of the machine may be varied as desired depending upon the type of work to be done, the nature of the terrain and the depth of cut to be made. For a general all-purpose machine the cutter blade is preferably approximately 60" in length and 20 in width, each step being on the order of 8" to 9" in depth and the blade of a thickness of approximately 2". Runner 33 is preferably formed of plough steel and is on the order of 2 in diameter and 30" in length. A blade of this length will allow cuts to depths of 36". For this installation the main frame is preferably formed of 8" channel steel 12 in length by 4 in width.

As has been indicated, the inventive idea is susceptible of various embodiments and attention is directed to the appended claims for a definition of the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A ditching and cable laying blade comprising an angularly disposed thin blade body supported at an acute angle to the surface of the ground, stepped, sharpened and rectilinearly disposed cutting edges of equal length and depth downwardly disposed in the forward edge of said blade body, a cable channel downwardly disposed within the rear edge of said blade body and parallel thereto, an upwardly extending arm made integral with the upper, forward extremity of said blade body, rollers rotatably mounted in brackets aflixed at right angles to the upper extremity of said arm, whereby a cable may be passed between said rollers and downwardly through said cable channel for laying in the ditch cut by saidblade.

2. A ditching and cable laying blade comprising an angularly disposed thin blade body supported at an acute angle to the surface of the ground, stepped, sharpened cutting edges of equal length and depth downwardly disposed in the forward edge of said blade body, a cable channel downwardly disposed within the rear edge of said blade body and parallel thereto, an upwardly extending arm made integral with the upper, forward extremity of said blade body, rollers rotatably mounted in brackets affixed at right angles to the upper extremity of said arm, whereby a cable may be passed between said rollers and downwardly through said cable channel for laying in the ditch cut by said blade.

FRANCIS B. RYAN.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Cole et a1 Nov. 11, 1856 Griffin et a1 Feb. 28, 1860 Ballard Aug. 14, 1860 Mettler Mar. 19, 1878 White Dec. 8, 1885 Sullivant Mar. 23, 1886 10 Fisk Feb. 18, 1890 Number Number Name Date Perry Mar. 7, 1916 Rinehart May' 29, 1923 Kirby May 1, 1928 Archer Sept. 17, 1929 Pitts et a1 June 21, 1932 Gledhill Nov. 8, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Sept. 17, 1924 

